The DoT is mulling plans to invite bids for rolling out wireless broadband services to 60,000 villages with support from the Universal Services Obligation fund, reports the Business Line.

The report quotes its sources have said that financial support will be offered to one operator in each circle for rolling out broadband services in those villages where there is no access till now. These villages are not even being covered by the State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.

According to the report, the DoT will allow operators to deploy any technology, though the DoT will specify benchmarks for broadband speed and quality of service. The operator who quotes the lowest amount during the bidding process will be awarded the project. BSNL will be given the lowest quoted subsidy from the USO fund as the second operator in each circle.